Cluster-socket.



J. H- DALE.

GLUSTBR SOCKET.

Arrmouxon rILnD nu 11. 1910.

Patnted May 3o e9 I wilma-ooe @#ffwe ful Nonni: Flu-Rs co.. wAsulNawN. n. c4

JOHN H. DALE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CLUSTER-SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1911.

Application filed May 11, 1910. Serial No. 560,551.

`To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. DALF., a citizen of the United States, residing at the `city of New York, in the borough of Manvlhattan and State of New York, have inl are united into a unitary structure, the several contacting parts being properly insulated from each other and such parts being arranged to the end that lamps carried by my receptacle are electrically connected in series. It has been customary heretofore in constructions of this type to provide a base of some description, preferably of insulating material, and to secure thereto in their prcper positions the respective contact pieces an connectin parts by means of screws, clips, or the ike. This obviously entails considerable work in the assembling of such structures; and furthermore there is liability of the uniting and connecting screws becoming loose or the clips becoming unfastened. In addition to this, owing to the amount of conductive material exposed around such base, there is the possibility of loose `parts causing short circuit.

I do not claim herein the general ari rangement of the socket in so far as the canopy and disposition of sockets thereon is concerned, nor do I make claim to the fixed support to which the receptacle is adapted to be secured; but I have made a distinct improvement in the contact supporting base aforesaid and the descri tion herein will hence be substantially congned to a description of this structure.

Referring Vto the accompanyin drawings, which form a part hereof and 1n which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views: Figure l is a plan view of my improved cluster socket with portions thereof broken away to better illustrate the connections. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken on line II-II of Fig. l; but showingV a portion of the casing and pbase ring in elevation. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the fixed support preferably `used in connection with my socket. Fig. 4 is a section on line IV-IV of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a lamp socket or thimble.

The usual canopy 1 is provided, which carries therein suitable insulating sleeves 2 into which are screwed the threaded metallic thimbles or sockets 3, such sockets carrying insulating Washers 4 in the bottom thereof which are held therein by means of the usual centrally disposed contact making screws 5. The fixed support shown in Figs. 3 and 4 comprises a porcelain base 6 with threaded metallic base plate 7 therein, and said base carries the spring contacts 8, 9 and 10; the central contact 1() being adapted to engage a resilient element or ton e 11 supported from my improved base 1n the manner hereinafter described. A series of substantially triangular lugs 12, the outer lateral surfaces of which are preferably disposed in a circle, extend downwardly from the insulating support 6 and may be integrally united thereto.

Referring now more particularly to the portion wherein my invention resides: A preferabl annular base, which has been broadly esignated 13, is formed of insulating material 14 with a series of contacts embedded therein. These contacts preferably comprise a plurality of resilient strips 15, one end of each of which projects through the periphery of the annulus and is adapted for engagement with the outer side of the inner end of a socket 3. The inner extremity of each of these resilient strips has preferably united thereto a threaded sleeve or nut 16. I prefer to secure these nuts by soldering them to the strips; but it will be evident from the method of constructing my base, hereinafter described, that the nuts need not be initially secured to suchstrips, but may be merely disposed thereavainst to afford proper electrical contact. Ibprefer however to solder the nuts to the resilient elements and to extend the screw receiving apertures in such nuts entirely therethrough and through the ends of the elements 15, so that the extremities of the screws 5 project into said strips.

A metallic annulus 17 which may be of cast or spun metal, and which preferably has a section similar to that shown at 18 and this' metallic ring are disposed in a suitable jig preparatory to assembling, and plastic insulating material, such as cellulose, micanite, rubber or the like is pressed therearound to iirmly embed portions of such metallic parts therein; the plastic material hardening or being hardened to form therewith the unitary structure above described. It is obvious that by so uniting these parts displacement of any of the contacts becomes substantially an impossibility. Furthermore, the major portion of each of the strips 15 and nuts 1G, is entirely inclosed by and embedded in the insulating mass. I may entirely inclose the nut or sleeve in the manner shown at 16, in such case providing a threaded aperture through lthe layer of insulating material which covers the outer side of such nut. This is readily accomplishable when the parts are being assembled by supporting the nuts upon screws which are thereafter withdrawn so that contact with the nut may be made by merely inserting one of the screws 5 thereinto. A

By the eXpression,-exposed for electrical connection, as used in the claims, it will be understood that either of the constructions just described may be referred to. The contact carrying annulus supports the lamp sockets by reason of its engagement with the inner extremities of the threaded thimbles and by the engagement of the screws 5 with the contact nuts in the manner aforesaid; the cano-py, in turn, being supported by the insulating sleeves 2, which are threaded upon said thimbles. The disposition of the ring 17 is such that when the cluster socket is snapped up in'position against its fixed support, the contacts 9 of the latter engage the ring 17 thereby supporting the cluster and affording electrical contact with said ring. A screw 19 of one of the sockets which may be somewhat longer than the corresponding screws 5 of the remaining sockets, is in electrical connection with the ring 17; being insertible into a threaded aperture provided in the insulating kmass. Assuming therefore that current is led in'from the binding post 20 indicated in Fig. 4, such current will pass down through contact 9, through ring 17 and screw 19 to the lamp carried in the socket 3; and thence out through said socket 3 and through the corresponding contacting strip15.` The vcurrent then passes through the nut 16 which is in contact with the said strip tothe screw 5 of the adjacent socket yand in corresponding fashion around successivelyto each lamp in series, until all of ,the lamps have been traversed. Current then leaves the socket' and passes downwardly into the resilient tongue 11 which is in electrical contact with such socket; being disposed betweenthe inner end of the socket and the supporting ring. The central contact 10 of the fixed support is normally enof the ring 17 a sleeve or nut Q2 into which the screw 19 is adapted to thread in correspending fashion to the manner in which screws 5 engage the nuts 16. This sleeve of course being embedded in the insulating material in corresponding fashion. If then the tongue 11 be permanently secured to the insulating ring which obviously may also be accomplished by embedding portions thereof in the insulating mass when the ring is being formed, it becomes immaterial where the tongue is disposedl in the cluster when the several parts are assembled. As a consequence of this construction, it will be obse'rved that with the exception of the screws 5 and 19, all contacts are intimately united into a unitary structure, and the possibilit-y of short circuiting therebetween is absolutely prevented.

The projecting ends of the strips 15 may be soldered to the corresponding thimbles if f desired to improve connection therebetween;

arcuately recessed as shown in Figs. 1 and-2, Y

so that each may snugly engage portions of the slotted walls of its corresponding thimble. c

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: y

1.v A cluster socket comprising an insulating base having a plurality of conducting strips portions of which are embedded within the same and arranged with their ends` projecting in succession around the edge of the base, in combination with a plurality of lamp sockets mechanically secured to said base, one terminal of each socket being in electrical connection with the exposed end of on strip, while its other terminal is in electrical connection with the opposite end of the next adjacent strip, substantially as described.

2. A cluster socket comprising an insulating base having a plurality of conducting strips, one end of each of which is embedded laol in the base while the other ends are exposed, in combination with lamp sockets mechanically secured to said base and having center contacts electrically connected with said embedded ends of the strips respectively, and side contacts electrically connected with said respective exposed ends, substantially as described.

3. A cluster socket comprising a plurality of lamp sockets having the metallic thimble thereof grooved, a contact carrying supporting base forA said sockets, portions of the periphery of which neatly engage the grooves in said thimbles, and screws for retainingY said parts in position, the engagement of said base with said grooves relieving said screws from lateral thrust.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. DALE.

Witnesses:

WALDo M. CHAPIN, WILLIAM C. LAW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

